Car-coupling



(NO Model.)

` J- N. KITGHEN,

UAB GOUPLING.

No. 539,687. Patented MayZl, 1895.

k ATENT Frios.

JOHN N. KITCHEN, OF WHITE (POST, VIRGINIA.

.CAR-CUPLING.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,687, dated May 21,1895. i

Application filed March 25, 1895. Serial No. 543,131' (No model.)

.T0 aZZ whom it may cancer-72,:

Be it known that I, JOHN NEWTON KIToHEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at White Post, in the county of Clarke and State of Virginia,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings, of Whichthe following is a specifioation.

The object of my improvement is to provide such construction forcoupling cars of the arrow-head and jaw type, as will cause theseparation of the cars from each other, in the event of being derailedand overturned; and to render the coupling safe, strong and secure.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my improved coupling for railroadcars, in which- Figure 1 shows in vertical section a portion of two carsin coupled .relation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, takenthrough the coupling parts. Fig. 3 shows the coupling-bar, and Fig. 4shows in front view the j aws in the platform-opening.

The end of each car is suitably constructed to receive a pair of jaws 1,1, which are considerably wider than they are thiok and stand edge-Wiseacross and at the end'of the car. They are fitted in strong guides 2 intheplatform and are pressed toward each other by Springs 3 so that theyare free to move toward and be forced from each other, their inwardmovement being limited by suitable stops 4, so that their inner endsstand apart sufficiently to receive the coupling-bar and are rounded forthis purpose so as to form eurved faces 5 on each side of the opening 6,into which the arrow-head of the coupling-bar enters, in coupling thecars. At their inner sides these jaws form abutments 7 to receive theshoulders of the arrow-head of the coupling-bar. Each car is thusprovided at each end with spring sustained jaws arranged to form avertical opening three times or more in height greater than its width,and forming between them a space having a width slightly less than thatof the coupling-bar. The curved faces of the jaws flare into the largeropening 6 in the end of the platform between the parts which cover andsupport the jaws.

The coupling-bar is formed with an arrowhead 8 at one end and a wideflat narrow head 9 at its other end, the part between these heads beinground at its junction with the arrow head. The flathead stands at rightangles to the position of the arrow-head and has a hole 10 passingthrough its greatest width and therefore at right angles to thearrow-head. The'diameter of the round part and the thickness of thearrow-head and the wide flat head, are the same or substantially thesame, and the bar has a length suflicient to couple the cars and givefreedom for turning. At each end of the car the platform has a verticalhole 11, passing through it longitudinally central with the openingbetween the jaws and in rear thereof to receive a coupling pin 12, whichmay be connected by a chain or otherwise for use at each end of the car.The coupling-bar is secured by the coupling-pin so that the wide flathead is pivoted in edge- Wise position and stands vertically between andis pressed on each side by the jaws, rendering it impossible for the barto turn or be turned because of the position of its flat head betweenthe jaws and the passing of the coupling-pin edgewise through the flathead. This is the important matter ofmy invention and it will be seenthat`while the coupling-bar cannot turn when the cars are coupled, theooupling-pin as a pivot, permits the bar to have a pivotal movementsidewise between the jaws, for the proper movement of the coupling-barto allow the cars to turn curves, the jaws yielding for this purpose.This safe holding of the coupling-bar at its wide flat head to preventit from turning, holds the arrow-head in certain engagement with thejaws of the coupled car. This maintaining the shoulders 13, 13 of thearrow-head in secure and safe engagement with the inner sides of thejaws, permits the automatic uncoupling of the arrow-head and itswithdrawal from the jaws, in the event of the overturning of either orboth of the coupled cars. This uncoupling takes place as soon as one cartu-rns over at a sufficient angle on its side to release the engagementof the shoulders of the arrow-head from the jaws, as said shouldersapproach in alignment with'the opening between the jaws and free ofthem. The turning over of one car quicker than the connected car willtend to release the arrowhead, and the irregular turning of theconuected cars will tend to the same result. In any case of the turningover of the cars, the

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tease?V engagement is made very uncertain and in this particular becomesa matter of the last importance in pi'eventing the loss of life and thedestruction of the cars.

The coupling-pin engages the flat end of the coupling bar With one carand the arrowhead of the coupling-bar engages `1the jawsi'of theconnected car.

I make the hole in the flat-head slightly oval to facilitate thecoupling of the bar with the pin, Which, passing through coincidentholesin the upper and under sides of the `platform of the car, passes alsothrough the 'hole in the flat-head of the coupling-bar, ifnfsuch over ofthe `ear.

It Will be understood that the flat-head of l the coupling-bar can besecured by the ooupling pin in either endof thecar and thatlthe 1;arrow-head can be conpled with the jaWs in; either end ofthe car. p

As the fiathead of the coupling-barstands` vertical With its top andbottom edges against the top and bottom Walls of the opening, and as thecoupling-pin passes vertically and edge- Wise through the flat head, thebar Will be kept in a horizontal and true position at all times and isthereby rendered certain to couple With the next car.

I claim as my improvement- 1. In a car coupling, the combination of thespring sustained jaws arranged crosswise at each end of the car, Withacoupling-bar hav ing an arrow-head at one end, a Wide flat head at itsother end standing at right angles to the arrow-head and of round crosssection between said heads and a pin for engaging a hole ex- Atendingthrough said flat head at right anglcs fto the Varrow-head, 'and-th'roughlcorrespon din g 5holes in the upper and under sides of theplatformoftheoar, substantially as described.

For use in coupling cars `:provided With *spring sustained jawsandcoupling pins, an `Yarrow-head conpling-bar having at one 'end a*Wide flat head at right anglesto the arrowihead, and formed with a holeextending` 1 'through it in the `direction of 'its greatest 'width as``show-n and described.

JOHN N. KITCHEN. W'itnesses:

A. E. H. JOHNSON, A. ROLAND JOHNSON.

